Iran has condemned the United Arab Emirates for ordering the expulsion of more than 2,500 Iranian students from the country and for shutting down Iranian schools, filing complaints with the United Nations and UNESCO.
On 19 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Ali Farhadi, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Education, told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that the UAE abruptly ordered the expulsion of 2,500 Iranian students and suspended the operations of all Iranian government schools in the country.
This latest move by the UAE comes after their energy infrastructure was repeatedly attacked by Iran over nearly three weeks, including at an oil depot near the port of Fujairah, a key UAE oil transportation hub. Iran claims these attacks were retaliation against US and Israeli actions.
However, Farhadi described these acts as an example of a “hostile policy” aligning with the interests of the United States and Israel. He added that the Iranian government will raise this issue with the United Nations (UN) and UNESCO, arguing that these actions violate human rights.
Farhadi also noted that Iranian schools have operated in the UAE for over 50 years with official approval. Iran is currently working to enable the affected students to continue their studies in Oman until the end of the academic year.
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Source:CNN